Instagram feature missing for 10 yrs is finally here

June 25, 2021

*View this newsletter online for the best reading experience*

Hello, geeks!

I start this week’s Geekout with good news!

Instagram has caved. It’s rolling out one of its most-requested missing features.

Only took us 10 years of asking to get it. :)

DID YOU SEE…

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ICYMI

Right… Let’s get into the nerd-zone with all this week’s BIGGEST social media-related news.

— Matt

P.S. 🗣 GEEKOUT on TWITTER SPACES

Join us for Geekout Weekly on Twitter Spaces today (Fri 25 June) at 4pm [UK] where we’ll be discussing ALL this week’s social media news, scandals, and top new features.

Just tap this tweet to get notified when we're about to go live!.

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

The next step in Twitter's big creator push is almost here. If you're interested in making money on Twitter, the company this week opened the door to let users apply to try Ticket Spaces and Super Follows. I've got screenshots of the Ticketed Spaces application process here.

As the Verge reports:

Twitter will select a “small group” of users to test its new monetization features, both of which were announced earlier this year. The Super Follows feature lets users charge $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99 per month for access to exclusive content. Ticketed Spaces lets them charge between $1 and $999 for access to one of Twitter’s social audio rooms, and it offers extra features like setting a room size cap. Users can see if they’re eligible to apply by checking a new “Monetization” option in the mobile app sidebar.

Aside from the idea of someone charging nearly $1,000 for access to a live audio room, what's most interesting here is how Twitter is structuring its own cut of the revenue. The company had originally said it would take 20% on top of Apple or Google's 30% platform fee. That would have left creators with just half the pie for themselves.

But now Twitter says that—at least during the test phase—the 20% fee will only apply to users who generate at least $50,000 in revenue. For the first $49,999 of revenue, Twitter will take just 3%.

Given very few users are likely to hit the 50k threshold, this seems fair. Given it's likely Twitter's fee will be deducted at the time of transaction, it seems like Twitter's 20% only kicks on on dollar 50,000 and beyond, unlike Apple's discounted rate for App Store transactions, which actually kind of encourages developers not to exceed $1m in revenue.

So it seems Twitter has handled this well. But let's see if the more generous revenue split continues as the paid features roll out to increasing numbers of creators.

We knew ads in Oculus VR weren't going to be popular, but it the backlash from gamers has even spooked one of Facebook's own partners in the trial.

Resolution Games' Blaston was supposed to be the first title to include ads.

The Verge reports:

For many fans of Blaston, that wasn’t welcome news, leading to a wave of negative reviews criticizing Resolution Games for planning to test ads in a game that they paid money for. Now, following the blowback, the studio has reversed course, saying that it actually won’t test ads inside of Blaston (via UploadVR)...

“We appreciate all of the feedback and thoughts on the Oculus ad test for Blaston and other games that was announced last week,” Resolution Games CEO Tommy Palm said in a statement shared with The Verge. “Some good points have been made, and we realize that Blaston isn’t the best fit for this type of advertising test. Therefore, we no longer plan to implement the test in Blaston.”

Resolution says it may still test the ads in a free-to-play title, but gamers' argument that games you buy shouldn't also have ads in them appears to have won the day for now.

But the Facebook advertising machine is unlikely to be satisfied at the outcome here. How otherwise can it get growth through recurring revenue out of games you buy once?

Gamers can be a passionate, vocal community whose input can shift entire corporate strategies (just ask Microsoft, which had to completely revise its vision for the Xbox One after gamers rejected the initial plan for it to be an always-connected, multimedia living room centrepiece), but I can't help but feel Facebook's desire for more sweet, sweet ad revenue will come out on top eventually.

Facebook started the rollout of its live audio and podcasts features week, with a US launch to kick things off. It's easy to dismiss this as just another set of Facebook copycat features going live, but there's more to it than that.

As The Information notes, Facebook's enthusiasm for podcasts in particular reflects younger influencers' growing interest in the medium:

The fact is, podcasts are becoming as much the domain of social media stars as they are the news outlets, comedians and radio studios that made the genre a serious rival to video. While podcasts took off thanks to the popularity of true crime whodunit “Serial” and comedian-led “The Adam Carolla Show,” they are now also one way influencers like Paul and Lauren Riihimaki, who runs a popular arts & craft YouTube channel, reach new audiences and find new income.

And if you're not where the young influencers are, you aren't where the most lucrative advertising dollars are.

So as much as it is simply following the pack, this is Facebook trying to stay relevant with the people it really needs to stay engaged with its platform. If becoming a destination to hear the latest episode of Logan Paul's 'Impaulsive' podcast is a way to achieve that, then so be it.

❓ Question of the week

The frustration of having a boss who is utterly clueless about social media.

Share your pain with fellow SMMs! 👇

📣 Geekout shoutout

Using social media to build a loyal audience and drive revenue? TheTilt newsletter is packed with examples, how-tos, and more, delivered to you FREE twice a week. [Ad]

👀 ICYMI...

Stories you need to know about:

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp:

The Biden campaign reportedly warned Facebook about violent campaign rhetoric from Trump's side during last year's election, and grew frustrated at the lack of action from the company.

  • Facebook has expanded its Neighborhoods feature to four US cities but it faces stiff competition. [Reuters]

  • Facebook is working on a brand-safety focused ad targeting tool that lets advertisers avoid targeting users likely to share political posts. [AdAge $$$]

Twitter:

The banjo player caused a storm when he showed support for a book based on widely criticised claims about 'Antifa'.

TikTok:

TikTok has rolled out a feature I first spotted being tested back in February. Jump lets third-parties create mini apps accessible from TikTok videos. This could be a massive expansion of what's possible on the platform.

  • TikTok no longer moderates posts using staff in China, after reports Western videos were being suppressed. [Insider $$$]

  • The Chinese version of TikTok is getting a web version to boost user numbers. [South China Morning Post]

  • The US government has removed Trump-era restrictions of the kinds of transactions that could be conducted with TikTok. [Reuters]

  • TikTok's Chinese rival Kuaishou now has 1 billion monthly users worldwide. [TechCrunch]

And the rest:

Here's a big shift to be aware of. It's part of a Google project to improve the security of Drive and YouTube URLs.

  • The European Court of Justice has ruled that YouTube and other online platforms shouldn’t be held liable for some copyright-infringing uploads. [CNBC]

  • Clubhouse accidentally leaked its own 'Backchannel' private messaging feature. [The Verge]

  • Twitch has suspended two creators over sexually suggestive ASMR streams. [TechCrunch]

  • A US school can't punish a student for swearing on Snapchat, the Supreme Court has ruled. [The Verge]

  • The UK's Online Safety Bill will be "catastrophic for free speech," according to campaigners. [BBC News]

  • UK children will be able to get help in stopping nude images of themselves spreading online, via a tool on the Childline website. [The Guardian]

  • Snap and Discord have joined TikTok as official sponsors of VidCon. [TubeFilter]

  • Snap has signed a deal to bring Universal Music Group artists' music to Snapchat. [The Verge]

  • The man behind 'Deepfake Tom Cuise' has launched a production company to create 'hyperreal' content. [Campaign]

  • Charli and Dixie D’Amelio have launched a cartoon series on Instagram, TikTok, and Triller. [Variety]

💬 You can quote me on that

When I get quoted in the news, you’ll find it here…

“I suspect Instagram’s decision to add publishing via desktop is part of a much bigger plan for the platform going forward,” I told Bloomberg.

🔨 Tool of the week

This is one of the best Twitter screenshot tools I've ever tested. Turn your tweets into professional-looking screenshots with this feature-packed web app.

🔍 Insights

Social media data, insights and reports to give you an edge at work:

  • Planning a Twitter campaign this summer? The company has shared key events you can peg it to. [Social Media Today]

  • How successful are Snapchat's six-second non-skippable ads? Snap has published a study. [Adweek $$$]

  • How can brands make the most of Twitter during the Olympics? The company shared some pointers. [Adweek $$$]

  • Advertising to the UK on Pinterest? The company has a study to help you. [Adweek $$$]

  • Gaming talk is a big deal on Twitter. The company has shared some new data. [Social Media Today]

📲 Quick hits

Updates, experiments, and useful info snippets:

  • Facebook now lets Group admins enable and disable different post types. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook is testing new animated reactions when you share someone else’s post. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook now has an ‘Optimise text per person’ option for ads. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook is now pushing its ‘ad tracking is a good thing’ message prominently in the News Feed. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook Workplace has new features, including an upgraded Q&A experience. [Adweek $$$]

  • Instagram is developing its own version of Twitter’s Super Follow feature. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram has developed a Stories translation feature. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram now lets you add links to articles to support your in-app request for verification. [@MattNavarra]

  • Instagram search is showing an audio tab for some users. [@mrchrisfloyd]

  • Another glimpse of Instagram audio rooms has emerged. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram is working on a Live settings section in the Stories Camera Settings. [@insta_leaks]

  • Instagram is developing a playback time counter for voice messages. [@insta_leaks]

  • Instagram is now prompting users to save music to use in stories and reels. [@MattNavarra]

  • Instagram is working on the ability to save Stories photos as .webp files rather than .jpg. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram could soon let you hide live broadcasts from specific users. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram is working on settings for end-to-end encryption. [@insta_leaks]

  • Instagram is adding a prompt to get vaccinated in the US, where all over-12s are now eligible. [@InstagramComms]

  • WhatsApp's forthcoming multi-device support seemingly won't work with more than one phone at first. It will only work across web, desktop, and Portal. [Android Police]

  • WhatsApp users on iOS can now forward official sticker packs to other users. [9to5Mac]

  • WhatsApp has launched a Spanish-language vaccine finder in the US. [Adweek $$$]

  • WhatsApp is working on view-once-only images and videos. [@WABetaInfo]

  • Oculus Quest no longer lets you livestream your VR dirctly to your Facebook profile. [UploadVR]

  • Twitter's tip jar feature now supports Razorpay in India. [Twitter blog]

  • Twitter has added recent tweet counts and full-archive tweet counts to its API v2 for developers to use in apps. [@TwitterAPI]

  • Twitter is working on the ability to sign in with your Google account. [@wongmjane]

  • Twitter is developing the ability to upload caption files in .srt format along with videos. [@wongmjane]

  • Twitter now lets advertisers buy ads with a focus on at least 15-second video viewing time. [Adweek $$$]

  • TikTok has a new 'Brand Lift Study' option to let businesses poll users through promoted campaigns. [Social Media Today]

  • TikTok will mark the end of Pride Month with a 12-hour live finale event. [Adweek $$$]

  • TikTok and Spotify are collaborating with makeup brand MAC on an AR campaign. [Adweek $$$]

  • YouTube has introduced a simplified ad creation workflow. [Search Engine Land]

  • YouTube is testing full video playback on your mobile homepage without touching a video. [9to5Google]

  • YouTube livestreams are coming back to Google Meet for education users. [9to5Google]

  • YouTube has unveiled a slate of Olympics-themed Originals. [Variety]

  • YouTube is testing including timestamps in policy violation emails. [9to5Google]

  • YouTube is on a user age verification drive, following a legal dispute over child privacy. [Android Police]

  • Clubhouse has expanded its 'Creator First' programme to Brazil. [Social Media Today]

  • Snapchat lets users make real-life custom Pride flags. [Adweek $$$]

  • Snapchat is working on a Poll sticker. [@alex193a]

  • Apple is using a Snapchat lens as part of its marketing for Apple Pay Express Transit. [9to5Mac]

  • Telegram is working on an update to the inline bot commands menu. [TestingCatalog]

  • Tinder will let users add videos to their dating profiles. [Mashable]

📖 Weekend reading

"TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is known for its accuracy and even its “magic.” What does it mean if the videos it picks for you are totally disgusting?"

💀 Meme of the week

📅 Back next week...

This is the bit where i bring things to a close.

I wonder if anyone even reads it?

I’m just putting words here to wrap things up, but I could just put utter nonsense here and maybe no one will even notice?

Dolphins sleep with one eye open. Fact. 👁🐬

Goodbye, geeks!

— Matt

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Copyright 2021: Matt Navarra Media Ltd

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